The hunters were approaching quickly driving her deeper into the forest. She had wondered into the fields looking for some food but was spotted by a scout and he alerted a hunting party. With bows in hand ready to capture their prize she wasn't going to give up that easily. She was the greatest hunter there is and was not going to let herself become the hunted especially too mere humans.

They were not giving up on her. One of the hunters fired an arrow at her and cut into her right fore-shoulder. They all yelled victoriously assuming that the wound would slow the animal but instead it made her press on harder and faster. None of the men realized what they had really done or how dangerous the hunt really was until they penetrated the heart of the forest and all sounds died out.

It seemed that every being in the forest had stopped; even the breeze that was building had stopped as if they were all waiting for something to happen. The entire forest knew something the men did not they knew that there would only be one man in this hunting party that was going to leave the forest alive. The rest of the pack has been trailing them since they entered the heart.

The men just started to understand what was going on but it was too late, they were surrounded and only one of the men realized in time to turn and run back the way he came. This was not before he saw the forest come alive, cheetahs where jumping at the rest of the warriors from the shadows, he was overwhelmed with fear after he heard the surprised shouts of the men. Suddenly all sounds were overpowered by the screaming cry of the cheetahs.

When all sound died out, the one lone man running through the forest was franticly trying to escape the fate the others had suffered. It was twilight in the forest now and his mind started playing tricks on him. His eyes saw things that weren't there. He emerged from the forest hours later, half crazy, still running and staggering to the center of the village. He collapsed there hearing muffled voices of the villagers and then all faded to black.

The doctors stood at the entrance to his tent talking among themselves about the man lying unconscious inside. It was the morning after he had collapsed in the village center half dead. He suddenly woke with a start and leapt from the bed flailing and screaming wildly about the animals and the claw marks on his body. From what the doctors saw on him he had only a few scrapes from thorn bushes and branches but they soon had him back in the bed calmed down. He was asleep again muttering about something that the doctors didn't hear. They returned to their posts at the door to his tent waiting for him to wake.

Back in the forest the wounded scout excited the tent with her right shoulder bandaged. The smell of incense was lingering around her and one of the elders approached her, "Is it done Cleo?" "Yes wise one, I entered his dreams and I drove him further into madness. He will be unable to tell his people of us or where to find us." "Good." the elder replied in a harsh tone that made the young scout cringe.

"Please forgive me for my bad judgment, I had the best interest of the pack in mind. Please, I wish there was something I could do to change what has been done but I will do anything the council wishes for me to do as a penance for my actions. Please, I beg of you!" the young scout had dropped to the ground at the feet of the elder (she held the highest position in the council) almost to the point of tears, "please." she said again in a soft whisper.

"You are to meet with the council at sundown there you will be given your punishment for your irresponsibility and blatant disregard for our laws, now away with you, you must be properly dressed for the council, that is if you wish to keep your powers and to stay with the pack." "Yes wise one." With that the scout hurried off to the wash pools to have some of the old crones help her prepare for he judgement by the council.

A/N: well I know it is a short chapter but if they are short I can get them out faster leave me a reply and tell me what you think... and more is to be explained about the end of this chapter in the next installment of Shapeless

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